Pill dispenser



Jan. 19, 1965 J. s. GUARR PILL DISPENSER Filed Feb. 25,

23 IN VEN TOR. 5f Gua vw A.

3,165,216 rrLL DrsrENSER Joseph S. Guarr, 1617 Mulvane, Topeka, Kans., assigner of one-half to Robert F. Kelley, Kansas City, Mo. Filed Feb. 25,1%3, Ser. No. 250,688 e 3 Claims. (Cl. 221-289) This invention relates to an improvement in dispensers in the form of a pen or the like for housing particles such as pills, tablets, capsules, and the like, and more particularly a dispenser which can be carried in the pocket of the user alongsidea pencil and the tablet or pills be dispensed therefrom one `at a time. i

Various forms of dispensers have been devised for carrying pills and the like such as saccharin, heart pills, vitamins, aspirin, tranquilizers, etc., but no one has devised a dispenser in the form of la pencil wherein the tablets have been stored in a plunger in edge relation and which may be dispensed therefrom at the will of the user by operating the plunger wherein only one pill may be dispensed at one operation of the plunger.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser in the form of a pen having a barrel with a clip thereon to hold the same in the pocket of the user and having a plunger movable in the barrel spring urged to hold the plunger normally in non-pill dispensing relation to the barrel and when the plunger is moved forward in the barrel the lower most pill will :align with an opening in the barrel so that the pill will be dispensed therethrough and wherein the barrel has a clip member or pawl provided with an end which will raise to contact the next adjacent pill to that one being dispensed to prevent more than one pill being dispensed with one movement of the plunger.

Other objects of the present` invention :are to provide a barrel having an opening near its lower end and in one side of the Wall thereof through which the pill is to be dispensed rand having a cap screw threadedly attached to the barrel provided with a clip to fasten the dispenser to the pocket of the user; to provide a tubular plunger having a reduced end or stem extending through an opening in the cap of the barrel; to'provide the plunger with a piston portion on its inner end and of a length to be spaced from the lower end of the barrel; to provide the space between the lower end of the barrel and the piston part of the plunger with a 'spring for urging the plunger to its normal closed position; to provide the plunger with a groove or slot at its piston endrfor reiving the clip member or pawl to engage the pill next adjacent the pill which will be dispensed upon movement of the plunger forwardly; toprovide the wall `of the plunger with an opening having a bevel face against which the beveled edge of the clip member will engage to push the same upwardly into the hollow sleeve when the plunger sleeve is moved forwardly; to provide the face of the piston adjacent the pills with an angled portion so that the pill will move up the angle portion to the opening in the barrel for removal therefrom, and to provide a device of this character economical to manufacture and simple in operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the |accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention. v

FIG. l is a perspective view of my dispenser in normal position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hollow plunger or sleeve with its piston end and particularly illustrating the groove in the end thereof.

arrears Patented Jan. 19, 1955 ICC broken away of the lower end portionto illustrate the FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the barrel with parts y 7 to engage the threads 5 on the barrel.

spring therein.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through the dispenser showing the plunger and clip member in normal position.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through tliedispenser shown in pill dispensing position.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 4. Y

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional fragmentary view particularly illustrating the beveled portion of the slot in the plunger and the beveled end of the piston to move the pills toward the opening in the barrel.

Referring more in detail to the drawings.

The numeral 1 generally designates a pill dispenser embodying the features of my invention comprising a barrel or the like 2 having a closed pointed end 3 and an open end 4 provided with threads 5 for receiving a cap 6 having its open end internally threaded as indicated at The cap 6 is pointed as indicated at 8 and has a central bore 9 for receiving the reduced stem end 10 of a hollow plunger or sleeve 11 having a closed end 1 2 and a piston end 13. The plunger is adapted to engage in the tubular member 2 and cap 6 and is shorter than the hollow barrel and cap leaving a space .14 near the pointed end of the barrel 2 for receiving a coil spring 15 to normally urge the piston and plunger tothe position shown in FIG. 4 or toward the cap end of the dispenser.

Spaced from the pointed end 3 of the barrel 2 is an opening 16 through which the pills are dispensed from the compartment 17 of the plunger 1l. The plunger 11 adjacent the piston end 13 is provided with a slot or opening 18 normally out of alignment with the opening 16 in the barrel, but is adapted to align therewith upon movement of the plunger toward the spring 15.

The piston end 13 of the plunger is provided with a longitudinal groove or slot 20 for receiving a clip member or pawl 21 attached to barrel adjacent the end 3. The groove terminatesV slightly past the piston providing an opening 22 having la cam surface 23 slanting toward the compartment 17, the opening 22 being in the opposite side of the plunger from the opening 18. The end of the clip is also cammed or slanted as indicated at 24 (FIG. 5) and is normally just short of the cam surface 23 ofthe plunger.

One side of the barrel 2 is provided with a at surface 25 and the plunger Ialso has a at surface 26 mating therewith to prevent rotation of the plunger in the barrel.

The dispenser may be assembled by placing the coil spring 15 in the end of the barrel 2 and inserting the plunger therein so that the opening 18 in the plunger will be in alignment with the opening 16 in the barrel when the plunger is moved forwardly. The cap is then inserted over the reduced end of the plunger with the stem 10 extending through the bore 9 and the cap 6 screwed on -to the barrel 2.

The pills or other articles may be loaded into the compartment 17 through the opening 18 before the device is assembled together if desired. The pills may also be introduced into the compartment i7 by movement of the plunger forwardly so that the opening 18 aligns with the opening 15 and one pill at a time introduced until the compartment 17 is filled. A bevel edge 17' is located at the forward end of the slot Ztl to aid in sliding the plunger past the pawl 21 during assembly.

When it is desired to dispense a pill from the dispenser the plunger stern 19 is moved forwardly by the thumb of the user until the opening 13 in the plunger aligns with the opening 16 in the barrel. The forward travel ofthe plungeris limited by the closing of the spring 15 or other suitable stop means (not shown) so that positive alignment is obtained. When the plunger is moved forwardly the cam surface 23 formed by the slot. 20 will engage the c am surface 24 ofthe clip member or pawl 21 and cause the same to move `upwardly so that the point 28 will engage against the second pill as indicated at 29 to retain the remaining pillsinv the compartment 17 thereby only dispensing one pill as indicated at 30, FIG. 5.Y It will be noted the inside surface of the piston onv the plunger has a slanting surface 31 extending toward the opening lso that the pill 30 will be easily moved through the openings 18 and 16 respectively. It will also be noted the pills are in longitudinal alignment in the compartment 17, With their side edges touching as indicated 32, FIG. 4. The lirst pill 33 to be dispensed will normally be over the opening 22 and may rest partially on the clip or pawl 21 when the plunger is in non-dispensing position.

' The barrel, cap and plunger may be'made out of any,

suitable material such as metal, plastic or some transparent material. I have shown in FIG. 1 the barrel 2 and plunger 11 to be of transparent material so that the pills may be seen in the compartment 17. I have also illustrated the name of the owner anda prescription number in the barrel as indicated at 34. The name and number may be printed on a piece of paper or the like 35 and securedpon the piece of paper or other suitable material and secured on the inner. wall of the barrel by any suitable means.

rlfhe plunger 11 may be of a suitable low cost dust proof disposable material which may be readily refilled with pills or tablets as shown in FIG. and reinserted in the barrel 2. If desired, certain types of pills or tablets may be insertedv in a plunger 11 at the factory and bought separately with the contents noted thereon and` disposed of when the contents are depleted.

. It Will be obvious from theforegoing that I have provided a new and improved dispenser for pills or the like in the shape of a pencil which may bev carried by the user and wherein operating of the plunger through the stem thereof will dispense one pill at a time through the opening 16 in the barrel thereof.

It is to be understood that While I have illustrate and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specic form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pill dispenser comprising: l

(a) a'barrel having vone end closed'and the other end having a longitudinal bore therein, said barrel havi ing an openinglin a sidewall spacedu from its closed end,

(b) a hollow plunger reciprocable in said barrel and having a stem on one end extending through the bore opening in said other end of said barrel,

(c) a piston on the other end of the plunger forming a compartment in said plunger for housing said pills in aligned relation therein, said hollow porvtion of the plunger having an opening adjacent said piston and capable of being aligned with the opening in the barrel,

(d) means engaging the closed end of said barrel and said A'piston to normally urge the plunger to nonpill dispensing position, said piston portion of the plunger having a longitudinal groove in its outer wall extending beyond theinner end of said piston and forming a slot in the side Wall of said plunger von the side opposite said rst named opening in the plunger, and v (e) a pawl secured in said groove in said piston having a free end moveable throughsaid slot in said plunger, the free end of said pawl facing said slot having a cam surface adapted to engage the edge of said slot facing said pawl whereby said free end of said pawl upon reciprocation of the plunger toward said closed end of the barrel will move through said slot and Contact one of `said pills in said compartment so that only one pill will be dispensed at each operation of said plunger.

2. A pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pawl has a free end and the edge ofthe slot in the plunger facing said pawl has a cam surface to contact the cam surface of the pawl to cause the free end of the pawl to move into the hollow plunger.

3. A pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein the end of the pistonrtorming vone end of the compartment has a wall inclined toward the lirst mentioned opening in said plunger wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED lSTATES PATENTS 423,276 Rech Mar. 1l, 1890 781,527 Ielers Jan. 31, 1905 2,429,682 Groom Oct. 28, 1947 .2,681,529 Braithwaite June 22, 1954 2,772,772 Taylor Dec. 4, 1956 2,901,146 Powell et al. Aug. 25, 1959 2,906,432 Martin g Sept. 29, 1959 2,960,259 Aveni Nov. l5, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 336,551 Italy Feb. 18, 1936 1,092,506 FranceV .Nov. 10, 1954 535,821 Italy Nov. 18, 1955 

1. A PILL DISPENSER COMPRISING: (A) A BARREL HAVING ONE END CLOSED AND THE OTHER END HAVINF A LONGITUDINAL BORE THEREIN, SAID BARREL HAVING AN OPERATING IN A SIDE WALL SPACED FROM ITS CLOSED END, (B) A HOLLOW PLUNGER RECIPROCABLE IN SAID BARREL AND HAVING A STEM ON ONE END EXTENDING THROUGH THE BORE OPENING IN SAID OTHER END OF SAID BARREL, (C) A PISTON ON THE OTHER END OF THE PLUNGER FORMING A COMPARTMENT IN SAID PLUNGER FOR HOUSING SAID PILLS IN ALIGNED RELATION THEREIN, SAID HOLLOW POR TION OF THE PLUNGER HAVING AN OPENING ADJACENT SAID PISTION AND CAPABLE OF BEING ALIGNED WITH THE OPENING IN THE BARREL, (D) MEANS ENGAGING THE CLOSED END OF SAID BARREL AND SAID PISTON TO NORMALLY URGE THE PLUNGER TO NONPILL DISPENSING POSITION, SAID PISTON PORTION OF THE PLUNGER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE IN ITS OUTER WALL EXTENDING BEYOND THE INNER END OF SAID PISTON AND FORMING A SLOT IN THE SIDE WALL OF SAID PLUNGER ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE SIDE FIRST NAMED OPENING IN THE PLUNGER, AND (E) A PAWL SECURED IN SAID GROOVE IN SAID PISTON HAVING A FREE END MOVEABLE THROUGH SAID SLOT IN SAID PLUNGER, THE FREE END OF SAID PAWL FACING SAID SLOT HAVING A CAM SURFACE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE EDGE OF SAID SLOT FACING SAID PAWL WHEREBY SAID FREE END OF SAID PAWL UPON RECIPROCATION OF THE PLUNGER TOWARD SAID CLOSED END OF THE BARREL WILL MOVE THROUGH SAID SLOT AND CONTACT ONE OF SAID PILLS IN SAID COMPARTMENT SO THAT ONLY ONE PILL WILL BE DISPENSED AT EACH OPERATION OF SAID PLUNGER. 